Early Review: The Sharpest Blade by Sandy Williams

,
by
Kt Clapsadl

The Sharpest Blade by Sandy Williams

Shadow Reader #3

Torn between two worlds.Torn between two lives.McKenzie Lewis’s ability to read the shadows has put her—and …those she loves—in harm’s way again and again. The violence must end, but will the cost of peace be more devastating than anyone ever imagined?After ten years of turmoil, the life McKenzie has always longed for may finally be within her grasp. No one is swinging a sword at her head or asking her to track the fae, and she finally has a regular—albeit boring—job. But when a ruthless enemy strikes against her friends, McKenzie abandons her attempt at normalcy and rushes back to the Realm.With the fae she loves and the fae she’s tied to pulling her in different directions, McKenzie must uncover the truth behind the war and accept the painful sacrifices that must be made to end it. Armed with dangerous secrets and with powerful allies at her side, her actions will either rip the Realm apart—or save it.

It is always so hard to say goodbye to a much loved series so I typically go into a a final book with much trepidation, and THE SHARPEST BLADE was no exception. That being said, I was largely happy with the way things turned out, minus the very rushed ending. I'm a big advocate for epilogues, and I definitely feel like this would have been one of the books that would have largely benefited from one. Don't get me wrong, I was very satisfied with the ending, and it was really what I had hoped for. It's just you are still on the edge of your seat until the very last few pages, and it left me feeling more wrung out than content as there wasn't really any time for the ending to sink in. I guess I'm just wishing there had of been more time to savor and enjoy things.

In my previous review I had stated that I was torn between the two men in McKenzie's life, but early on I realized that I was actually pretty decided that I wanted her to end up with Aren. Unfortunately as luck would have it, it also became apparent early on that things would not be so cut and dry with who she would end up with, in fact, it was left open until the very end. That being said, I realize that the choice couldn't have been easy without cheapening things due to the circumstances of the bond between her and Kyol, but it didn't make the frustration any easier for this reader. To make matters worse, I almost feel guilty for choosing Aren as Kyol felt everything clear as day through the bond. I mean it's bad enough to see someone you love wanting to be with someone else, but to actually feel it would be awful. However, the biggest reason that I felt Kyol was the wrong choice for her was, when push comes to shove, he will always choose duty over her. While honorable, that doesn't exactly mean the best thing for her. But putting that aside, it was really enjoyable to see it all play out, and as for who she winds up in the end, you'll just have to read to find out.

Fans of the series will be pleased with THE SHARPEST BLADE as it wraps up the trilogy nicely. And for those who haven't discovered this amazingly unique urban fantasy series yet, I say, well what are you waiting for. You'll want to snatch these right up. Trust me, you won't regret it.